[Closed] Soul vs Chameleon??

TBH I don't think you'd be disappointed with either of those choices, I've a chameleon, and hand on heart it's the best bike I've ever owned. but then unhappy soul owners seem to be few and far between as well

ChrisL's had both I think? I've not ridden a Chameleon enough to have any worthwhile opinion but it didn't impress the way my Soul did. Oh, and the price, and having to pay extra for an EBB I'd never use, would put me off too. But almost everyone who's owned one loves it I reckon.

Sorry for saying this but it's the law- have you considered an Mmmbop?

I like both, but I'm not much of a fan of flexy steel so the Chameleon's the one I've got now. The Chameleon's EBB can be annoyingly creaky at times, though.

I had my Soul back when 130mm of travel was the most it could take but I'd say it's a bit steeper and faster handling than the Chameleon, even allowing for the 140mm forks on my Chameleon. After years of preferring fast handling bikes I'm beginning to appreciate the confidence that slacker angles can help provide. 🙂

If you like uppy-downy seatposts then the Soul's 27.2mm seat tube restricts you to the Gravity Dropper. The Chameleon takes a 30.9mm seat post. Souls are once again available in orange and they look gorgeous in it. None of the Chameleon's colour options are as nice but the green is pretty good.

The original build of my Chameleon, shortly after its first ride, on which I'd totalled its front rim:

[img] [/img]

[url= http://chrislupton.fotopic.net/p13656493.html ]Link to a crappy cameraphone picture of my Soul.[/url] For some reason I can't get direct linking to fotopic images to work. 🙁

Love my chameleon, so stiff and the acceleration is snappy to say the least. It rocks.

One is designed by a british designer with british trail use in mind. One isn't.

There is your choice.

you can have a blast on mine if you like 8)

http://www.bikesapart.com/evil-sovereign-frame-10283-p.asp

You'd be a fool to get anything else at that price point.

Have had both, albeit in older guises : the souls was the MkII with 125 forks on, the chameleon a modeasl from around 2002 (at the latest) that started on 63mm elastomer Indy XCs and ended up with the 100mm vanillas it still sports.

Still own the Chameleon, swapped the soul for an inbred.

Chameleon is (and always has been) singlespeed though.

How many HT's can one man own?

I love my mmmbop... Better angles etc than either, and cheaper, an lighter, and I think the proof is a friend is selling his Cham to get one...

chameleon gets my vote, build it any way you like it, tis a beauty. not tried the other mind

[i]One is designed by a british designer with british trail use in mind. One isn't.[/i]

And yet I ride my Cham the whole year round, who'd have thought that a bike that's designed to take 2.5inch tyres would have so much mud clearance with skinny winter tyres on..? 🙄

Oh, it's fair to say, I weigh about as much as a child so the flex in the Soul isn't an issue for me in the slightest, but it could be for a bigger rider, I'd guess. Or they might like it.

Can't comment on the soul as i've never ridden one. However i do have a chameleon & i can say without any hesitation it's as good as any bike i've owned. As to the argument about it not being designed by a british designer so less suitable well that's just pish. The cham will take forks from 80-160, it has oceans of tire clearance so muck won't be a problem. Now based on the designed for the UK thread it would appear the characteristics that define a UK bike are large mud clearance, long travel hard tail & forward facing seat tube slot. Other than that the chameleon lacks the forward facing seat tube slot i can't see any reason the soul would be more suited to the UK climate than the Chameleon. Plus the derailleur hanger on the latest Chameleon has a built in bottle opener on it. What more could you ask for?

[img] http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/mikehall42/DSC01341.jp g" target="_blank">http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll138/mikehall42/DSC01341.jp g"/> ?t=1272060661[/img] Great bike but if I got a new hardtail it would be a soul.

How many HT's can one man own?

In my case, since my first in 2002, 5.

"If you like uppy-downy seatposts then the Soul's 27.2mm seat tube restricts you to the Gravity Dropper"
plus KindShock do/are shortly releasing a 27.2mm i950 (0-5" drop and anywhere in between)

Aren't chameleons and souls massively different bikes? Almost complete opposites of that type of bike
The soul being a flexy/forgiving, steep/nimble, 140mm capable/better at 100mm all round XC bike
The Chameleon being a stiff/direct, slack/DH confident, 80/100mm capable/better at 6" all round 'trail' bike
(All just little things I've picked up on on here and random browsing, rather than having ridden either very much)

I'd reckon you should really think about the Cotic BFe if the Chameleon and Soul seem to fit the bill

james, yeah sort of, if you look at like that, then yeah, I guess they are. On the other hand, they're both bikes that you can go fast through single track, will make you feel great, and laugh out loud. Pretty similar I'd say.

For a lot of people the Soul and Chameleon will fill a similiar role, all round trail bike. Sure the Chameleon can carry 160mm and the Soul is great at 100mm but there's still a middle ground there.

Thanks guys.
I have looked at teh BFe's but there is a delay with them.

Goog, I may have to take you up on that offer.

and Mick, you know me, always looking.

Lyons, how much does your mate want for his and what size is it?

Not sure how much he's after, but I will find out, and it's 16 inch...

Too small mate thanks

I've had a white XL Chameleon on order since early Feb, so might be worth checking delivery times.

I've owned both. Had a Mk1 and Mk2 Chameleon and a mid-era'ish Soul. Loved them both but given the choice, I think I'd have a Chameleon again, purely because I tend to do shorter more techy rides now. For all days in the hills, a Soul.

If you like your bikes really flexy, get a soul.

ChrisL, heres a pic of your old frame with my bits.

[url= http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/434187463_d3574297d3_o.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/434187463_d3574297d3_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url]

DaveB has it now.

I have a Sovereign and a Stiffee and prefer them. Chameleon and Stiffee are very similar. Cotic was better for long days in the hills to be fair to it.

ChrisL, heres a pic of your old frame with my bits...
DaveB has it now.

I believe that he sold it too! It now belongs to some random stranger. 🙁

Aren't chameleons and souls massively different bikes? Almost complete opposites of that type of bike
The soul being a flexy/forgiving, steep/nimble, 140mm capable/better at 100mm all round XC bike
The Chameleon being a stiff/direct, slack/DH confident, 80/100mm capable/better at 6" all round 'trail' bike
(All just little things I've picked up on on here and random browsing, rather than having ridden either very much)

I'd reckon you should really think about the Cotic BFe if the Chameleon and Soul seem to fit the bill

The thing is that the only difference between the BFe and the Soul is the tube set. All the measurements and geometry are identical. So then ostensibly the two bikes will 'handle' the same although they will 'feel' quite different because of the tube sets they use.